The new iMovie (08+)

[pianodude123]

I cant stand it.

I consider myself a pretty advanced computer user... yet I can't even figure out the simplest things. For example, I am trying to add in audio over black and then have video come in later in the timeline. Why cant I just drag the whole clip to a later point in the timeline? No... not allowed.

Ive been using final cut express for a while but every once in a while i need to use imovie for a small project, and I just can't figure anything out... WHY did apple have to change it??

 

[WayneH1]

I cant stand it.

I consider myself a pretty advanced computer user... yet I can't even figure out the simplest things. For example, I am trying to add in audio over black and then have video come in later in the timeline. Why cant I just drag the whole clip to a later point in the timeline? No... not allowed.

Ive been using final cut express for a while but every once in a while i need to use imovie for a small project, and I just can't figure anything out... WHY did apple have to change it??

Click on the backgrounds tab and add a black background to the beginning of the project. Double click on the black frame in the project window and then enter whatever duration you want the BG to occupy. Easy as pie.

 

[pianodude123]

It's not just that one thing... for example... now I am trying to add a screenshot to a voiceover but when I hit play the videotrack from the audioclip shows up instead of the screenshot. Yet, when I hover over the clip, it shows the screenshot. Maybe just a bug, I dont know

 

[spice weasel]

The method WayneH1 described is the way to do it. I sympathize with your frustration, however. If you come to iMovie '08 or '09 after using Final Cut or iMovie HD ('06), it seems like a huge step backwards. On the other hand, I know people who took a quick shot at iMovie HD and couldn't figure it out, so they gave up and never used it. Now they use iMovie '09 with ease.

Personally, there are things about the new iMovie that I like, but overall feel that it takes away a LOT of control and only replaces it with some easy drag-and-drop sequencing. It's really a nod to the Facebook/YouTube/flipcam crowd, who just want to take a few stupid clips, toss in a transition or two, lay down a music track, and put the thing on the Internet.

Social media (and pop music, but that's another discussion) is the devil's work, I say.

[/rant]

 

[pianodude123]

What a piece of crap. I've been reading the "help" section for nearly every single thing I want to do. This time: change color of title. I hit command-T and the font window pops up... I have what I want to change colors selected, and I choose the color... and nothing happens! Lovely software from apple.

 

[spice weasel]

What a piece of crap. I've been reading the "help" section for nearly every single thing I want to do. This time: change color of title. I hit command-T and the font window pops up... I have what I want to change colors selected, and I choose the color... and nothing happens! Lovely software from apple.

Click on the blue title bar, then click on the text, and then you can select the font size and color from the pop-up palette.

iMovie is now all about using the mouse and not key commands. There are some keystrokes that you can use, but, in general, think in terms of drag-and-drop and mouse clicks and you'll get the hang of it faster.

 

[pianodude123]

Click on the blue title bar, then click on the text, and then you can select the font size and color from the pop-up palette.

iMovie is now all about using the mouse and not key commands. There are some keystrokes that you can use, but, in general, think in terms of drag-and-drop and mouse clicks and you'll get the hang of it faster.

Thanks for the help. This is what I did. I even tried using the menus for bringing up that font menu. It brought up the font menu, but when I change the font color, size, etc, the changes dont apply in the viewer. Is it not a live update?

 

[spice weasel]

Thanks for the help. This is what I did. I even tried using the menus for bringing up that font menu. It brought up the font menu, but when I change the font color, size, etc, the changes dont apply in the viewer. Is it not a live update?

If you hit play or scrub through, do the changes appear? I haven't used iMovie in a while, and I'm not at my home computer, but I'm pretty sure the changes should be updated immediately.

 

[WayneH1]

What a piece of crap. I've been reading the "help" section for nearly every single thing I want to do. This time: change color of title. I hit command-T and the font window pops up... I have what I want to change colors selected, and I choose the color... and nothing happens! Lovely software from apple.

Seems like you and iMovie just think different . I don't think I've EVER resorted to reading the manual, and I find it very quick, intuitive and easy. More advanced tools are just a layer away. I've used older versions of iMovie, and FCP and FCE. iMovie '09 is FAR faster for putting a project together than any of the others.

Not sure about your color issue, but all changes should be "live".